Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 3/22/2010

Question
I have just aquired an Ingraham Mantle Clock.  The shape is like a horseshoe 10 x 9 x 4 inches.  It is wood veneered with simple detail.  There is a bib between the footing and the face numbers are not Roman numerals. The face is white w/ brass numbers and Ingraham EIGHT DAY written under the 12.  It chimes to 1/2 hr & hr.  The workings are brass with a silver metal pendulum.  
I would like to know 1)the approximate age and 2) do you always wind in a clockwise direction?  
We were told to transport the clock lying flat on it's back.  The pendulam was not removed.  When we got home I tapped the pendulam & the clock started ticking.  I slowly set the time pauseing at the 1/2 hr & hour to allow it to chime.  The right winding gear was very tight when I tried to turn it clockwise.  The left gear moved a 1/2 turn before it tightened.  It was loosing 1/2 hour every 3-4 hours.  My husband thinks the right gear needs to be turned counter-clockwise.  
There is an adjustment feature for fast or slow within the number 12.  How do I make the adjustment?
I am very apprieciative of any information you might provide.
Thanking you in advance, Mr. Saunders, I am

Sincerely yours,
Karen

Answer
without a photo - (can you attach one?) it is hard to ID  or date other than 1884-1958!

no telling in advance which way any old American clock winds! (could be both the same direction or not!)But they each only wind one direction. Looking in the back you can see the two coiled springs and if they are wound tight, there will be very little space between the coils and their coils will be about 1 3/4" in diameter.

the slow speed is odd -- is the pendulum solid one piece or is there a threaded adjustable rod involved?

the dial fast-slow adjuster is done with the small end of the original clock key(normally clockwise to speed up)--but loosing 3 hours a day can not be fixed with the dial adjuster-got to be another issue at work here.

Addition: one photo is all you can attach but should be enough for me to ID it if I can at all.